Calming Road Rage for a Safer Drive

Have you ever noticed how angry Texas drivers can be? Of course you have, you live here.

It’s alarming to find out that anger when driving is common—even routine—on Texas roads, and that this anger puts everyone near the enraged driver at risk for serious injuries. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, a substantial percentage of the 6.8 million annual car accidents are caused by road rage and aggressive driving. Furthermore, a 2012 report released by the Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) confirmed what many of us already knew: that road rage accidents are a common occurrence here in Houston and around the state, causing more than 900 accidents in the span of five years.

While the severity of these accidents varies, the report indicated that hundreds of drivers have been injured in Houston car accidents caused by road rage in the last five years, and five people died. Considering the amount of road rage you see on a daily basis, these statistics may not seem that alarming. However, when you realize that statistically speaking, you’re putting your life and your family’s lives at risk every time you drive angry and every time you drive near those who are angry, these statistics get a little more stomach-churning.

Avoiding the Signs and Consequences of Road Rage

Road rage is easy to spot but difficult to define. Generally speaking, road rage refers to aggressive driving behaviors (such as tailgating, erratic lane changes, speeding, gesturing, and honking the horn) that are inspired by excessive or uncontrolled anger. Road rage is extremely dangerous in that it can—and often does—lead to serious car accidents. However, by taking a few extra precautions, you can avoid these anger-filled consequences and keep your family (and our roads) safe and calm.

Safety precautions include:

Avoiding stressful traffic times. An estimated one out of every four road rage accidents in Texas happens between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Avoiding driving near trucks (especially ones driven by men). The DOT report suggested that most drivers who exhibit road rage are men, and the most likely vehicle to be involved in a road rage accident is a truck.

Avoiding giving in to your frustrations. Quite often drivers who engage in road rage or mimic others’ bad driving behaviors are having troubles in other areas of their life. It might take only a small, unintended (or sometimes imagined) slight, such as being inadvertently cut off or honked at, to trigger anger and poor decision making. Stay calm and don’t allow others’ mistakes to cause you to make a dangerous mistake of your own. Furthermore, don’t trigger someone else’s rage by cutting him off or irritating him.

Although these precautions can significantly decrease your risk of a road rage accident, nothing is ever 100% effective. Thankfully, attorney Steve Lee is here for those times when your precautions aren’t enough to ward off the consequences of others.

Staying Calm After a Road Rage Accident

If you’ve been injured in a car accident as a result of someone else’s road rage, you may be able to recover damages in personal injury lawsuit. Such a lawsuit could make it possible for you to obtain financial compensation for your medical costs, lost wages from missed time at work, and much more.

However, even where liability is clear in a case involving road rage, the insurance companies can still make your life difficult. They will do what they can to pay out as little as possible.

To stand up to the insurance companies, it’s a good idea to have an experienced attorney on your side. That’s where attorney Steve Lee comes into play. With over 38 years’ worth of experience behind him, he has the knowledge and drive to help you get the money you deserve.

For more information about your legal rights following a car wreck, call our office today at 800-232-3711. We’ll be happy to schedule you a free consultation.